I always wanted a sweet old truck

[JPutnam]

Im Joshua. been checking out this forum for a few years. finally made an account. decided to post my slow projects.

1966 gmc 1000
vin on the title reads
VIN/HINI1002PD9073A
I cant find any info on the vin or truck. (I havent looked at the vin on the truck itself yet, keep forgetting)

anyway it had a "fresh rebuild" on it. and a valve job. but the guy never put the head back on. that"literally is the only thing that needs to be done to have a solid driver."
the guy picked it up from the original owner who daily drove it until 1989. I have the service reciepts and a small book of every fillup and maintenance its seen until then. story goes the guy I got it from picked it up in 2010 from the guy after he had the valve job and rebuild done. the head was in a nice new box in the bed and the engine had nice new tape on the top. So I didnt do much more looking. figured I could just swap a 350 or something into it if the engine didnt work.




well $700 later I was loading it up and taking it home. once I got it home I tore into the box to find the bottom was all wet and the head and valves all rusty. took the tape off the block and there was about 25 years of dust and grime on/in it. decided to take it out and to a machine shop to see if it was worth doing. they claimed a full build would be $1200. deal.
So I started buying cool new parts for it while they went through the head and block. 3 months later and $2900 later(long story) I had a fresh built block and head. everything new.




threw it into my truck and started it up. idled it for 2 minutes and saw steam coming out the breather. ugh. milkshake in radiator and milkshake in oilpan.

dropped the truck off to the machine shop and they tore into it.from underneath you could easily see a giant crack. nobody knew how the guy who did the work didnt see it. Anyway they ordered me a brand new factory assembled block. So I took out the engine again(since they wouldnt) and dropped it off.
so the block is new.
the heads is fully machined and rebuilt.
all new parts for the engine. i.e. alt, starter, hei dist, water pump, etc.
new heatercore and radiator.
new everything.

chrome side covers and valve cover that leak.

edlebrock dual carb setup that dumps way too much gas.(stock rochester carbs, each tuned to run the engine by itself.. I need to rejet but have no clue what to do)
ordered new balljoints and tierods and brakes but havent put them on yet.

plans to bag it.
custom triangulated 4 link rear. (has leaf springs.

tune it then drive it around.

I didnt take many pictures when I bought it. but have tried to capture the goods since.





sandblasted a bunch.



my computer is being super slow. I will try and get more pictures up later. I am hoping to pull the front subframe soon. then pancake it and install all the new stuff.

[Ta2Don]

Welcome Aboard!!!

Diggin' the Patina!!!

[Grizz1963]

Welcome to the board.

You know the drill........ Pictures. Pictures. Pictures, regular updates on everything you do.

Right, back to the truck. Love it. Love the canopy/camper top ( I will build one for my truck some time.)

Sorry about all your pain getting to this point, but I am sure you know it will be worth it in the end.

[JamieGallien]

Nice looking truck. The engine looks clean too! As for the other problems, just keep pegging away at it and it'll come around.

[1963c-10]

Welcome and great job on the project. Really liking the work you did on the engine!!

Also VIN decodes
1002PD9073A
10 = 1000
02 = 127" wheelbase
P = Pontiac plant
D = 1966
9073 = Production #
A = 6000 GVW

[TJ's Chevy]

That's a neat ol GMC. I like the way you did the 6 banger...beats a a boring orange 350 anyday. Quick fix on fixing the leaks...For the side covers use rubber felpro gaskets and tighten snugly not to where you bend the center of the covers. The valve cover use a rubber gasket and silicon both sides. Will seal it up nicely...also helps if you use the long width washers for your valve cover bolts. The running rich situation is probably from lack of tuning. 230's run with duals all the time. There's only one air mixture screw on each carb...turn them both all the way in...and then bring them both out 1.5 full turns...1/2, 1, 1/2 ect and start from there. What's the height of your side covers? 4 or 6 inches?

[JPutnam]

Thank you guys. I didnt mean to sound like I was griping about the "issues" I have had. its kinda to be expected when you dont do your research at all.

I was planning on keeping the camper top but its super bad inside and is starting to slump to the side quite a bit.

Thanks for the vin info.


quick mspaint chop












just some random pictures.

this project will most likely be slow. I have 2 other project cars in full swing(and a 3rd im collecting parts for). and just bought a duplex. so remodeling that is in full swing too.

quick pic of other project.
#fakebugatti is a 1966 beetle kitcar converted into a 1927 type 35 bugatti.. kindof.

Then my rx7. built ford 302. and all sorts of junk. cage, suspension stuff. etc. etc. its strictly a track car. that I havent tracked for a few years now.
... hmm
only pic I have of it and I messed around with mspaint on it.


edit: here is another pic of how it really looks. need to finish painting. and put the turbo stuff on it.

[JPutnam]

ill check the side cover height. I didnt have side covers or a valve cover when I got the truck. so I ordered the chrome guys. I heard if you sand down the inside of the chrome it will seal super nice. I just havent taken them off yet to do it. its the original 250. well I guess not since the block was changed.

So I cannot rejet the rochester carbs? just tune the screw? I read you need to syncronize them aswell. I might just take it to a hotrod shop and have them do the tuning.

[TJ's Chevy]

I'm running a 600 edelbrock on my bone stock 292 and I can hammer it in every gear without issue...never really tuned it...just fiddled with the mixture screws until I could pull the plugs and see a "just a tad rich" mixture...which was actually not hard to accomplish with my HEI and one heat range hotter plugs. The chrome will probably be the main reason for the leaks...so you may need to silicon the side covers as well.

[JPutnam]

here are two more pictures of the engine I found.





I also put a new gas tank in it. still has the stock 4 speed which leaves alot to be desired. and the stock rearend. even though it doesnt look like it, the master cylinder is new aswell.

I tore apart the heater the other day. made the mistake of turning on the blower to see if it worked. sprewed rat crap everywhere.
I ordered a new blower motor and fan wheel. had the casings all mediablasted then started painting. The paint is still drying right now.

oh also there was no parking brake on the truck. The handle was there. but no cables at all. I got new cables but cannot find anyone who sells the clip that bolts to the steering column. Also I am not sure how the stock cables were run under the truck. I ended up runing them through the crossmember back. in front of the cross member I attached the passenger side to the frame rail using a u bolt. so it can slide through there. drivers side is attached to the front cable. I had to do alot of searching to find the clips that connect all the cables. found a guy online. I dont remember the site right now. Ill try and get more info if anyone wants.

also I am thinking about ditching the side breather thing on the valve cover. Might pick up on offenhauser breather thing. http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Offenh...ather,804.html I think the one I have now just lets the oil ooze out.
im also thinking of ditching the stacks on the carbs. does anyone make decent looking small filters for these carbs? I dont want to worry about sucking in a bunch of junk and blowing up.

another not is I wrote edlebrock instead of offenhauser for the intake manifold. Im not sure why I did that. its an offenhauser dual carb mani.

[TJ's Chevy]

All of us 6 banger nuts would know that's an offy intake anyway so yer good. lol Yep that's a 230 or 250 for sure. I'm more positive its a 250 though...course I think you mentioned it was anyhow. What plugs are you running?

[JPutnam]

oh man. I cant even remember. It was something someone on here insisted were the only thing to use on the 250. read it in a thread somewhere.

[JPutnam]

I have been wondering why everyone buys the c notched for the rear instead of just making a whole new section of frame out of 2x3 square tubing? is there some reason everyone wants to beep the very rear section of frame? as far as I can tell the only thing it does is hold the bumper and one of the crossbeams on the bed. both could easily be used with a whole new rear frame. I think. any input on this?

[Ta2Don]

Just caught up… You sound like many of us with too many irons in the fire...

On the C-Notch question, my guess is that most probably look at the ease factor of the notches versus fabbing the entire rear section…
As for the camper shell, would it be worth the time and effort to repair? It looks like it's at home on your rig...

[JPutnam]

WAY WAY too many irons in the fire. haha I keep finding other amazing projects for sale for way too cheap and have almost bought at least 4 of them in the last couple months. I keep trying to make a deal with myself that if I finish all of my projects now. drive them all and have fun, then if I still want another project ill get one then. but good deals keep popping up. thats how I got the fakebugatti. I thought it was neat. the guy dropped the price over 4k. I couldnt pass it up. lol

As far as the camper, I dont think it would be. it would need to be stripped down entirely and redone. its all wood paneling inside and as far as I can tell the frame is wood too. looks like someone just put camper siding on a custom wood frame they made. the top air hatch is missing and its been collecting rain and snow soaking it for years. all the wood is very rotted and splintering. I dont know. maybe worth it. but with all my projects and lack of time, money and motivation, it doesnt seem worth it to me.

[TJ's Chevy]

I believe c-notching the frame helps in lowering it somehow...guess helps clear the axle if you run bags? I have 3 trucks myself...one to restore...one to enjoy while I restore the other and another as parts for the others. Makes sense right?

[JPutnam]

yeah I am just wondering why people dont just chop off the entire rear of the frame when they bag it and build a new frame higher up. I mean I will most likely just build a cnotch when I do my bags just because its easiest. haha

[JPutnam]

here are some pictures from the heater rebuild.
ignore the wheel faces. they are for the rx7.
here are the parts mediablasted.


its hard to tell from the pictures but I painted it black with a small amount of black and a small amount of gold and a large amount of red flake. In the light, in person, it looks great.

these are to show the new foam I put in there.




and the new motor vs the old guy. the old one worked. just had mice living in it. easier and not expensive at all to replace.





im pretty bummed because I searched and searched for a new heater core. bought this one for $160 off the internet. its the wrong size. the bent fins happened during shipping or before they shipped it but they wont give me a refund because of them.





so I tried to clean the one that came with the truck as best I could. it works fine. just figured with replacing everything else I minus whale replace that too. Anyway I just reused it.



as for the cover..




the first pic is with no flash. inside my garage. second is same but with the flash on. did primer, then one coat of red for base. then about 6 coats of clear/flake, same mixture as the other casings, alot of red, a bit of black and a smidge of gold.

Ive seen people lay lace over stuff and airbrush over it. seemed neat. So my plan was to do that with black. then do the final clear coat.

practice run worked great. over the red this will look amazing.






























and then I did the exact same thing on the cover. except for larger. just looked like black paint splattered on it.


obviously Im not much of a painter. this is the only picture I took after I sprayed it. I tried to wipe the black off with acetone while it was still wet. it didnt work. and this is the end result.

I have no idea what to do with it now. maybe try and sand it down? maybe try and do more lace?? maybe paint it all over? Im pretty upset about it.

[JPutnam]

I just found this pic I did when I was thinking of painting the door. I decided to not do this. but thought the pic was cool for whatever it is.

(did in paint on my work computer. lol)

[4mulaSvaliant]

Looking forward to seeing this come together!

[JPutnam]

well some parts are trickling in. still waiting on everything to get here and some free time to throw it all together. I still need some sort of air compressor. a couple air tanks and the airlines. everything else should be here within a couple days. then I just need time.

[JPutnam]

picked up some valves from DLOE. Im excited to see how they work out. Seem like great quality.
Also ordered some bag plates and stuff. these came today. fronts should be here tomorrow. and hopefully the bags too. c notch and some other stuff should be here soon as well.
I picked up some 2" square tubing I am planning on using for the 4 link. Already bought the bushing kits for them.
might take off my subframe to chop down soon.


why doesnt anybody lay rockers with these trucks? do you think it is possible without doing a body drop?


Also also does anybody have a set of drum steering knuckles they took off and arent going to use? interested in shipping them to me? just the knuckle part.

[joedoh]

those dloe valves are super reliable but SLOOOOW. which doesnt matter to me, but does to some. there are videos of them on youtube if you havent seen them.

why people dont lay rockers: the front suspension crossmember on these trucks (really all c10s from 1960-1987) hangs about 2 1/4 inches lower than the rest of the frame and about 2 1/2 inches lower than the pinch welds on the rockers. if you want to lay rockers you have to either raise that crossmember by z'ing the frame or by pancaking it. you can also use an aftermarket crossmember like those from porterbuilt. after that you will need an inch or so bodydrop to take off the pinches and lay flat.

I actually set mine up to have a nice back to front rake, and not lay flat rockers, by using bumpstops from ART. The next owner can trim them down and lay out but I prefer the just-off-the-ground look.

[JPutnam]

yeah I saw the videos. they are slow. but for the price im not too worried about it. especially if they are super reliable.


Ive been thinking more about the direction of this build. originally I started building just to have a reliable old daily. that I would have no issues with for years. but I wanted it bagged. then I was thinking about pulling off the body from the frame and going through the frame completely. box it all and paint it all etc etc. then throw the body back on with the patina. the rust in the fenders bug me pretty bad. but I dont want to put new fenders on because they wont match the paint.. and the passenger one is kinda bent a bit. the bed has a pretty bad crinkle in the drivers side rear. Im going to try and tackle that from the inside once I get the floor out.

Well after looking at the frame some more I have decided there is way too much rust on this one to do a full tear down and build up. and I still want this to be a driver. So as of now I am going to see if I can tackle the c notch with the bed still on(just not the bed floor). also plan to try and pancake the front subframe without taking the front end body panels off. I know I need to make new shock mounts and openings for the steering linkage. then a thing for the steering box. I think I can do all this with the bodywork still on. I thought about trimming down the frame to lay rockers but have since decided it would be more work than I want to do to this particular truck. So I will see what I can do without that.

Parts keep coming in. its my wifes birthday this week(april 29th, yesterday) so we are going out of town the rest of the weekend. so no work will get done at all.

[JPutnam]

I ordered the cnotch and front upper plates from custom connections. its been over 2 weeks since I got an email saying its "awaiting fulfilment." I sent them an email yesterday. hopefully they will get here soon.



I feel I chose the hardest way to do all of this.